Posted by LizLiz on 04/17/10

It was announced that the TSA should be expected in all parts of the NYC MTA system by this coming Wednesday. They will be armed, and have the right to check all bags/belonginings of passengers. Last I checked - I was paying for a service; therefore, shouldn't I be treated with utmost respect so that I continue to give my money/business to said organization/corporation? Right... Except in this "America" we, who pay, no matter what remain servants while the government strips us.

First the NYPD reserves the right to search MTA passengers, and now the TSA is needed along with the NYPD? As far as I am concerned, this is simply an attempt to make us comfortable with so many police officers being around so that the police state can slip in while seeming normal and neccesary for our protection. There is no reason and no law permitting me to be searched without a warrant. If I am requested to open my bag - I will say no, and I will take my business elsewhere. The MTA may have taken control over the private lines of NYC, but they still have not grasped their iron fist as far as Taxis, my feet, and MY OWN CAR. At 2.25 one-way fare, I can buy gas and not worry about the usual MTA things - delays, leaking dirty subway stations, trains running on lousy schedules, waiting forever for the train, not getting a seat, being arrested/given a ticket for nonsense such as sleeping or taking up two seats.. and to add to the injustice, now harrassment from the TSA.

2.25. I am paying for a service. I should not have to answer to them, they should answer to me, the customer.

If Walgreens began to search everyone who entered their stores, we'd all go to Rite Aid down the block and Walgreens would go out of business.

Posted 08/11/10 TripWire Parkville, MD

The DC metro has similar fascist bag search policy. But, I believe that illegal, unconstitutional, intrusion is being executed by the DC metro 'police', aka rent-a-cop security. I avoid DC and certainly will not brook taking the metro ever again. But, if I do, I too will refuse a search without due process of warrant. I agree with you, this is about setting an onerous expectation of 'police' invasion of privacy. It's wrong and must be checked before it gets further out of control.

Posted by LizLiz on 03/25/10

So, somehow the topic of writing letters to congress was brought up, and the girl next to me in class shares my Congresswoman, Y. Clarke (d). I said I was going to spend my spring break writing angry letters about her yay vote on the health care bill. She looked at me, made a revolting noise - as if she were to barf or spit up phelgm, then replied "You're against the health care bill?" I said "Yes, I am." She asked why and I stated "I am against fines and being forced to purchase health care." She made another odd noise and said "Why don't you go back to watchin Glenn Beck?" and I cooly replied "Why don't you watch Ron Paul?" Now. I don't even watch Glenn Beck - he is a tool for the media, it is disgusting that she would assume I get my opinion from the tv, but that is probably where hers came from for her to assume I'd get mine from Glenn Beck. The professor than made a joke about communities and its root meaning (state obligation/gift/duty with) and I said "I'm going to live under a rock;" the girl then nastily said "That must be why you're against the heath care bill." I said "No, I'm against it because I've actually read it." She sarcasticly said "Mhmmm" while sipping her coffee. I doubt that she read it - after all... how can someone seriously support this bill if they have even read a few pages of it?

She wasn't even open to my opinion - she right away lost any interest in speaking to me and any communication following was downright condescending and disgusting. I suppose this is part of the "With us or with the enemy" that still exists today under a different guise.

Posted 03/25/10 Isomies Mechanicsville, VA

don't feel bad, you're not losing out on anyone particularly brilliant

Posted 03/25/10 LizLiz Brooklyn, NY

Oh, I don't. Just disgusting how narrow minded people are. I've swayed at least two people since Sunday about the health care bill - this one was just your typical "all who hate Obama are evilll" Too bad I have six more weeks of sitting next to her.

Posted 03/31/10 Melchior Dover, NH

We can still Nullify it at the state levels at least to try and stop it, I will not ever submit to this insanity... I download a copy of the bill from last year over a 1000 pages it was just plain crazy to think this was going to lower costs, Govs have always lead to Tyranny

Posted 04/03/10 Kalayaan 001 Quezon City, Philippines

My gosh. You read the whole thousand page bill? How did you find the time? Your profile says that you are in academia (like me). How did you find the time? Are you studying Law?

Posted 04/12/10 LizLiz Brooklyn, NY

I'm not studying law.. I am studying English.. close enough.. hahaha.

Posted 07/10/10 LibertyPatriot Northampton, MA

You can lead a horse to water... I'm confident we Libertarians will be the majority, when reasonable people learn what we're all about. BTW - how much common English did you find in the Bill?

Posted by LizLiz on 03/22/10

"Dear Ms. Clarke,
Your yes vote condoning Nancy Pelosi's power grab is a violation of your oath to protect and defend the constitution. You have failed to represent your constituency and should feel disgraceful for your approval of mandated insurance. Your vote has made me more committed to fighting for free market health reform and I will do all in my power to educate the citizenry in what your yes vote really meant. Your vote represented the approval of redistribution of wealth - forcing people to buy health insurance against their own will; essentially a tax on living. Your yes vote means higher premiums, more taxes, and inferior service. I will hold you accountable for your vote and I will make sure your constituents know that you believe we should either have government approved insurance, or answer to the IRS.
I will make sure to vote against you this election season; and if you are unchallenged, I will find somebody that represents my beliefs and independence and encourage them to run for your position. "

I'm not the most eloquent writer when angry, but I guess this is good enough. Feel free to modify it for your own uses!

Posted 07/10/10 LibertyPatriot Northampton, MA

Actually, you're much more eloquent than I am when I'm angry! Very assertive letter, and cuts straight to the point.

Posted by LizLiz on 01/28/10
Last updated 01/28/10

I am going to chop this up so those who have already read the response from Fightin' Words are not subjected to drooling from boredom. In the post, which can be viewed here: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/blog.php?view=31904 There are a few passages looked at in which Obama blames ignorance for why so many people have rejected his health care, etc.

Here is MY problem with the State of the Union Address - aside from Obama's absolute arrogance and vanity.

What stuck out to me the most was "these Americans..." "the americans..." etc. Perhaps this is trivial, but as someone who has spent ample time in school studying the English language and rhetorical devices, I feel as if this is him subconsciously advertising just how DETACHED and ALIEN Obama really is from 'these Americans' or 'those Americans' and 'the Americans.'

What about "My fellow Americans" or some other similar meaning text... For example:

But notice how he shows possession of commodities. He is not afraid to include himself when it involves ownership or profit:

Yes, lets create jobs to help move goods (from where? China?) and what services? Public services such as the circulation of food stamps, welfare, etc? And what information? The information the the Establishment wants us to have?

And finally, the one that got bells going off in my head:

Because.. in conclusion: He is not one of us. He is not of the people. He is part of the minority (Tyranny of the minority. ding ding!!) pushing an agenda upon US(the people) that WE want no part in. So he separates himself from 'the people' and reminds us of how dumb WE are and how smart HE is.

He may rehearse, and have fantastic speech writers, and think about how to present his rhetoric - but to any English major with common sense; WE can see through the rhetoric. The best authors and orators are those who tear apart the writing of others through intense analysis. Reading a speech or novel is no different than deciphering an encrypted letter. Sure, we are taught never to use "I" or "you" in an essay, but when you are presenting something to a group - you might want to use words such as 'we' and 'you' and 'us' etc to create a feeling of equality - to say "we're in this together.'
Obama may want to take a lesson from Sir James Jeans, a physicist who combated this very problem; who unlike Obama was able to execute rhetorical devices both beautifully and without error.

I could go much deeper into this textual analysis - and maybe people would read it... but he infuriates me too much to spend time on his 'seductive' words.

Posted 01/28/10 WillBee Linden, NJ

I enjoyed it. I hope you go deeper!

Posted by LizLiz on 12/16/09

I am sure most of you are aware, but I shouldn't assume; so I am going to post some facts about floride:

According to the U.S. Public Health Service, fluoride makes dental enamel more porous, and makes bones more brittle.

The toxic effects of fluorosis take three forms: skeletal, clinical (non-skeletal) and dental (enamel). Dental fluorosis is extensively described by toxicologists as the first visible sign of chronic fluoride poisoning [Taber, CW. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, F.A. Davis Co., Philadelphia, PA, 1994]. Research thus far indicates that the manifestations of fluorosis are irreversible.

Dental Fluorosis
A 1998 survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry showed that:

* More than 92% of adults agree that an attractive smile is an important social asset
* 85% believe that an unattractive smile makes a person less appealing to the opposite sex
* 75% believe that an unattractive smile can be detrimental to a person's chances of career success
* Half of the respondents see unattractive teeth as a sign of poor personal hygiene.

Skeletal Fluorosis
The disease known as crippling skeletal fluorosis develops in stages, with phase two described as chronic joint pain, dose-related calcification of ligaments, osteosclerosis, and possible osteoporosis. Phase three includes "crippling deformities of the spine and major joints."

According to the U.S. government experts, most people currently ingest about four times as much fluoride as they did during the early days of water fluoridation - approximately equally divided between drinking water, food, other beverages, and dental products.

According to the UK Government's systematic scientific review on water fluoridation, carried out at York University, some 48% of people living in areas with fluoridated water are affected by dental fluorosis. In England, this translates to nearly three million individuals who have fluorosed teeth to some degree. For three quarters of a million people, dental fluorosis is of the "moderate to severe" degree. [McDonagh MS, Whiting PF, Wilson PM, Sutton AJ, Chestnutt I, Cooper J, Misso K, Bradley M, Treasure E, Kleijnen J. Systematic review of water fluoridation. BMJ 2000; 321: pp.855-9]

Fluorosis is increasing significantly in areas with and without artificially fluoridated water and is caused by over-exposure to fluorides from all sources, e.g. fluoridated water, fluoride toothpaste, mouth rinses, drops, tablets, gels, sealants and fluoridated school milk programmes. Fluorides are also found in foodstuffs, beverages, (particularly tea), medicines, anesthetics, pesticides, herbicides and in the polluted air we breathe.

Fluoride wastes are created through the production of aluminum, steel, cement, glass, fertilizer, fuels, refrigerants, rat poison, pesticides, uranium and many other items. They are released into the air, water and soil, constantly increasing our exposure to this bioaccumulative substance which is more toxic than lead.

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How did I come about this? Well, I have a severe headache at the moment, and I have had it since yesterday. I opened my cabinet to find 'excedrin migraine' and 'excedrin tension headache.' I decided to ask the internet what the difference was betwixt a migrane and a tension headache.

Apparently a history of long term headaches is a symptom of flourosis? Most of my co-workers complain of constant migraines.

We all live in NYC, and thus we drink and shower with fluoridated water. Am I on to something?

Posted 01/28/10 WillBee Linden, NJ

I looked into fluoride studies and a small amount of fluoride is good for teeth/bones. But too much and it actually weakens bones. Seen a chart in a paper (google scholar) where expose increased strength of bones then when increasing more it deteriorated. When I was younger i used to swallow toothpaste when brushing. It caused slight discoloration in teeth. Is fluoride really in tea? I drink that religiously. Also, have you heard of Xylitol? It's a sugar that bacteria does not eat, so it keeps your teeth bacteria free.